Superstition and Science

by Derek Wilson

'O what a world of profit and delight Of power, of honour and omnipotence Is promised to the studious artisan.' Christopher Marlowe, Dr Faustus.

Between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, Europe changed out of all recognition and particularly transformative were the ardent quest for knowledge and the astounding discoveries and inventions which resulted from it. The movement of blood round the body; the movement of the earth round the sun; the velocity of falling objects (and, indeed, why objects fall) - these and numerous other mysteries had been solved by scholars in earnest pursuit of scientia. Several keys were on offer to thinkers seeking to unlock the portal of the unknown: Folk religion had roots deep in the pagan past. Its devotees sought the aid of spirits. They had stores of ancient wisdom, particularly relating to herbal remedies. Theirs was the world of wise women, witches, necromancers, potions and incantations. Catholicism had its own magic and its own wisdom. Dogma was enshrined in the collective wisdom of the doctors of the church and the rigid scholastic system of teaching. Magic resided in the ranks of departed saints and the priestly miracle of the mass. Alchemy was at root a desire to understand and to exploit the material world. Practitioners studied the properties of natural substances. A whole system of knowledge was built on the theory of the four humours. Astrology was based on the belief that human affairs were controlled by the movement of heavenly bodies. Belief in the casting of horoscopes was almost universal. Natural Philosophy really began with Francis Bacon and his empirical method. It was the beginning of science 'proper' because it was based on observation and not on predetermined theory. Classical Studies. University teaching was based on the quadrivium - which consisted largely of rote learning the philosophy and science current in the classical world (Plato, Aristotle, Galen, Ptolemy, etc.). Renaissance scholars reappraised these sources of knowledge. Islamic and Jewish Traditions. The twelfth-century polymath, Averroes, has been called 'the father of secular thought' because of his landmark treatises on astronomy, physics and medicine. Jewish scholars and mystics introduced the esoteric disciplines of the Kabbalah. New Discoveries. Exploration connected Europeans with other peoples and cultures hitherto unknown, changed concepts about the nature of the planet, and led to the development of navigational skills. These 'sciences' were not entirely self-contained. For example physicians and theologians both believed in the casting of horoscopes. Despite popular myth (which developed 200 years later), there was no perceived hostility between faith and reason. Virtually all scientists and philosophers before the Enlightenment worked, or tried to work, within the traditional religious framework. Paracelsus, Descartes, Newton, Boyle and their compeers proceeded on the a príori notion that the universe was governed by rational laws, laid down by a rational God.. This certainly did not mean that there were no conflicts between the upholders of different types of knowledge. Dr Dee's neighbours destroyed his laboratory because they believed he was in league with the devil. Galileo famously had his run-in with the Curia. By the mid-seventeenth century 'science mania' had set in; the quest for knowledge had become a pursuit of cultured gentlemen. In 1663 The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge received its charter. Three years later the French Academy of Sciences was founded. Most other European capitals were not slow to follow suit. In 1725 we encounter the first use of the word 'science' meaning 'a branch of study concerned either with a connected body of demonstrated truths or with observed facts systematically classified'.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science, Religion, History Of Science

320 pages, Paperback

Published May 25, 2017

About the author

Derek Wilson has been a writer of historical fiction and non-fiction for 50 years. His much acclaimed prize-winning works have largely centred on 16th and 17th century Europe. He has used various pen names for his fiction, his current Thomas Treviot Tudor crime series being written under the name D.K. Wilson. The first 2 books in this series - The First Horseman and The Traitor's Mark are based on real unsolved Tudor mysteries and have received enthusiastic plaudits. Readers have favourably compared this innovative series with the books of C.J. Sansom and S.J. Parris.
Recent non-fiction triumphs include The Plantagenets, Holbein: Portrait of an Unknown Man, and Charlemagne: a Biography.
Derek Wilson graduated from Cambridge and spent several years travelling and teaching in Africa before becoming a full-time writer and broadcaster in 1971. He has frequently written and appeared on radio and television and is popular as a public speaker having appeared at several literary festivals,British Museum, Hampton Court Palace, The British Library and other prestigious venues.

Reviews

[Ed Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting compact history of the development of science and reason over several hundred years in Europe. What sets this apart from other such histories is that it emphasizes how intertwined the development of science was with the development of religious and superstitious ideas. While in the long term it may look like a battle between reason and non-reason, all of the individuals involved were complex and held views that might seem contradictory to us today.

[Halfeared · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
While it did bring up interesting figures to look a bit more into, the book felt like a fairly disjointed series of quick biographical notes on European scientists, theologians and philosophers, without living up to the promise of its title. I think the book is illustrated most clearly by a sentence in its own final chapter:
"My task has simply been to introduce some of these intellectual giants and set them in their historical context, the better to appreciate them and their attempts to illumine the dark mystery of our existence."
I'm giving the book 2.5 stars leaning towards 3 rather than 2 because it feels like my disappointment is largely a result of the mismatch between the blurb on the back cover and the actual book; if it had been billed as a light panorama of intellectual figures concerned with the age-old question of the universe & human search for meaning, I might have liked it better. Even then, though, it's a fairly surface skim across the usual suspects mostly, and despite there being plenty of Renaissance/Enlightenment women who wrestled with the same questions, there's nary a mention of any women (brief remarks on Christina of Sweden and on Katherine, Viscountess Ranelagh as a facilitator to her brother aside). For a book specifically looking at figures straddling science and superstition, I expected perhaps some discussion of lesser-known alchemists & philosophers.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

So glad I finally finished this... it reads a bit like A Little History of Science (William Bynum) in that it contains little biographies of famous thinkers, but it's written more like a dissertation. I battled with it particularly in the first few chapters and although it got a little more interesting later on, it certainly wasn't a pleasure to read. I wanted more of the big-picture, i.e. what were the events that led to the flourishing of empirical investigation and science. Instead, I got overly-detailed chapters that were siloed from one another.

[Mam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book randomly at an airport bookstore and I really enjoyed reading it. It is a bit dry in style - which makes it a slower read.

Unintentionally, I have been randomly buying books over the past few years that examines the themes of how we think, consume knowledge/information and the linkages to personal assumptions, bias, and beliefs. While this one focuses exclusively on Western/European history during the Medieval and Renaissance, it provides great insights about the intellectual debates and how incredible past thinkers were. Modern society tends to undervalue and appreciate past knowledge (with the assumption that we know better or that it’s not real science). This books made me think about today’s mass misinformation - it’s still very much a conflict between ‘beliefs’ vs ‘truth’. History repeats itself. Lastly, I am now trying to find similar books that perhaps looks at Eastern intellectual debates.

[Analuabc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abordagem interessante à busca eterna do sentido da vida através dos pensadores do sec. XVI ao sec. XVIII. Através destes cientistas e pensadores conseguimos perceber melhor as amarras à religião e como isso vai mudando em nome da ciência. Não acabando com o sentido religioso dos pensadores mas sim aumentando por isso a sua busca pela razão, pensamento livre e o entendimento da própria fé e religião. Mistura tanto ciência e vários grandes momentos que esta viveu no Renascimento e Iluminismo como todos os momentos de introspecção que isso trouxe a esses cientistas.

[Homero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extraordinary book. Full of reflections and challenges various myths about the falsely-believed separation between religion and science, specially in the age of inventions and early enlightenment.
It would be a 5/5 but I found that 2-3 chapters were too British-oriented. While the rest of the book provides an interesting review about the overall conditions during those times, in some chapters it focuses 'too much' on Britain, its thinkers, and society.

[Ana Moth · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those books that makes you want to find out more about the people in it. I think I would have preferred more explanation of the overarching themes rather than mini biographies of scientists and polymaths, but an interesting and well put together rebuttal that we are living in any kind of golden age of intellect (spoiler; we are not).

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a real struggle. From the blurb I expected a fun journey into superstition of witchcraft and medicine, and the scientific basis of this reasoning, and instead it was ~300 pages of rambling about old religious men and philosophers. Really very boring.

[Adit MKM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without the church maybe we can achieve Enlightenment sooner. Ironic doesn't it?

[Joel Gn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad introduction for those new to the topic, but there are numerous podcasts and videos online covering the same ground so it didn't quite stand out for me.

[Erica Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very different than I expected, but enjoyable. A smidge dense, but non fiction often is.